With the trade deadline just over a month away, the trade rumors are heating up and we have the latest and juiciest rumors below.
SPURS ENTER JIMMY SWEEP STAKES
Jimmy Butler is going to be traded this week, according to Bill Simmons.
He also predicted the Spurs could enter the race and says San Antonio have +350 odds to acquire the Heat star.
They dont have the odds for Houston, but San Antonio would have to jump the Lakers or Houston basically, Simmons said. The thinking is Wemby is now a top-seven guy and maybe they make a trade. So we were looking at that for future odds.
ESPNs Shams Charania has linked Butler to the Mavericks, Warriors, Rockets, and Suns over the past month, with Phoenix seemingly the only team out of those left in the race.
The Grizzlies and Bucks were the two most recent teams to have rumored interest, but by all reports Butler is refusing them both. This comes after he said he wanted to go anywhere other than Miami.
BRADLEY BEAL ADDRESSES TRADE RUMORS
Suns guard Bradley Beal was this week moved to the bench, which has sparked speculation about an incoming multi-team trade for Butler.
The Heat dont want to be left with Beal and the $100.8 million hes owed over the next two seasons, so another team would need to be included.
But the big issue the Suns face is that Beal has a no-trade clause, so he can reject any trade destination.
Beal said no one from the Phoenix organization has spoken to him about any plans.
If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards, Beal said. So, until Im addressed and somebody says something differently, then Ill be a Sun.
WARRIORS LIKE VUCEVIC
Although Golden State have been named as a suitor for Butler, Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic has actually emerged as the more discussed Warriors trade target, according to team and league sources, The Athletic reports.
The front office and coaching staff have acknowledged back to training camp this teams need for a true stretch center, something Curry has never really had, the outlet says.
His contract ($20M this season and $21.4M next season) is far more manageable than Butlers and not to mention, hes in fine form, averaging 20.3 and 10.1 rebounds a game, while shooting 44 percent from three-point range.
LAKERS STAND FIRM ON KEY PLAYERS
The Lakers recently traded guard DAngelo Russell to the Nets in a deal for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, but it seems as though if the Lakers were to make another splash, it wouldnt involve key players.
Competing executives have also told B/R that the Lakers (at least to date) have shown no interest in discussing trades that include Rui Hachimura or Dalton Knecht (or, obviously, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Bronny James, etc.), B/R reports. The two recently acquired players (Finney Smith and Milton) cannot be aggregated in trade before the February 6 deadlinetaking Milton out of the equation.
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